My husband and I both experienced differing negative reactions to the new ingredient in lemsip, cold and flu capsules, etc (it’s now in both the branded and supermarket own versions), so I thought I would share this info:

Notes for Healthcare Professionals

Applies to phenylephrine: compounding powder, injectable solution, intravenous solution, oral disintegrating strip, oral liquid, oral suspension extended release, oral tablet, oral tablet chewable, oral tablet chewable extended release, oral tablet disintegrating

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included headache, dizziness, nervousness, restlessness, tremor, insomnia, convulsions, and central nervous system depression.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included palpitations, arrhythmias, and cardiovascular collapse with hypotension.

Psychiatric

Psychiatric side effects have included hallucinations, fear, and anxiety.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included nausea.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects have included respiratory difficulty.

Genitourinary

Genitourinary side effects have included dysuria.

General

General side effects have included pallor and weakness.

Web MD says “These products do not cure or shorten the length of the common cold and may cause serious side effects.” and “Do not give other cough-and-cold medication that might contain the same or similar ingredients.” and “Do not increase your dose or take this medication more often than directed without your doctor’s approval. Improper use (abuse) of this medication may result in serious harm (e.g., hallucinations, seizure, death).”

These medicines did not used to contain this ingredient, it has only recently been added, so don’t be caught out, be very cautious.

In our humble opinion medicines [that aren’t absolutely essential] suppress the natural process of working a cold etc through anyway, and it tends to take longer to get over them.

Unfortunately people feel pressure to continue as normal and go to work with colds, but at the end of the day that only passes them on to most of your colleagues and ends up causing more of an issue at work than if the first person had stayed at home for a day or two.

We suggest you take an active role in your own health including researching ingredients in food & other products such as household, cosmetic, toiletry – remember that we absorb things through our skin and breath as well as via eating or drinking them.

We are the consumers – we decide!

xx